When you first approach building your social media presence it can be hard to see the wood for the trees. Many people don’t know where to start and simply open an account and start randomly posting, and hope for the best. This is not enough. Remember that first and foremost social media is about relationships, and successful relationships need nurturing in order to blossom and flourish.
If you’re considering incorporating social media into your current communications strategy, or if you already have a social media presence but can’t figure out why people aren’t “liking” or “following” you, here are some tips to help achieve a better outcome.
As with any communications strategy you need to identify your key messages and aims. The critical question is why; why are you on social media? Why should people listen to you? You also need to identify which stakeholders are on social media and which platforms will yield the best results for your business.
Once you have answers to these strategy questions there are three action points to address before posting.
- Research: The first step is to research the various social media platforms and identify which ones are going to best reach your stakeholders. Each of the platforms has a different tone, audience and idiosyncrasies. You need to determine the best practices for using and posting on a social media network.
- Listen: If you already have a social media presence but want to refresh it, start by simply “listening” to the comments of your fans and followers. What questions do they ask, what information do they share, what is their general tone? If you don’t already have a social media presence set up, look at the types of interactions happening on the pages and feeds of similar brands. You need to identify your stakeholders’ needs and how you can make a valuable contribution to them.
- Plan: You need to be proactive on social media and have a plan for each platform you use. Plan your content and decide how you will measure the response and effectiveness of it. When your fans or followers do respond to a post it is good practice to acknowledge it as soon as possible, to build rapport and create a positive flow on effect. So, you will need to allow time for this interaction.
Whether you want to establish a social media strategy or refresh an ineffective one, we are experts in developing and executing an effective integrated communications campaigns. Contact us to help you develop a plan to achieve your business goals.
